Physiotherapy
by BbuLeu
Summary: The second first meeting between two pained patients who've been through it all. A couple of months after the Promised Day.


_**AN:** I'm sorry if I've neglected this account lately. I won't make excuses but I hope you'll forgive me. I've picked up on my writing again so keep an eye out._

_and MY GOSH what's this? A Fullmetal Alchemist fic? My very first! :D_

_Just to let you know that I have been in and out of Physio for most of my life. I'm actually ok now but when I was younger, well, basically I used some of my experiances in this. And I love Alphonse so much and I'm sure we all have at least one charcter we love that we can relate to._

_Thanks for reading but remeber, I don't own FMA or anything like that :)_

* * *

"If you men would kindly wait here, the doctor will see you soon," the small nurse said as she parked Havocs wheelchair besides a hospital bed. She was a polite little thing and kindly suggested that Breda would help Havoc change into his workout clothes before bobbing out of the room.

"Crap." Breda smacked a hand to his forehead. "I left the bag in the car. Don't worry Jean, I'll get it. Don't go anywhere, ok?"

Jean laughed as his friend turned away, tapping his knees with the reminder that he could _almost _walk away if he wanted to. He just had to finish surviving months of physiotherapy first. Gruelling work and considering that he spent half, if not more, of his days for the past month building up the strength and coordination in his lower body, putting the phrase 'no pain, no gain' to the test. On the other hand, he was getting sick of hospitals and parking him amongst the cramped curtained off beds that cast a sickly green glow across his face.

Luckily, it was within arm's reach. Leaning over he grasped it and thrust it aside, smiling at the golden glow of an afternoon sun spilling into the room. However it took him a second to notice the figure sitting in the bed besides him.

"Sorry, sorry. I was just after a little light. Hope you don't mind?"

The figure, a boy, just looked startled and remained silent. He slowly shook his head and smiled at the soldier. He was shirtless and Havocs eyes were drawn to the paleness of his skin which looked a tad tight across his ribs and his sharp shoulder. Realising he must appear rude for gazing at the sick boy, Havoc turned away wished for a cigarette with fidgeting fingers. Soon, they started to drum against his knees again and he was distracted by the satisfaction of his nerves registering the familiar touch again.

He soon got the feeling that he was being watched and risked a side glance at the other patient. The boy- or was it a young man? He couldn't tell- was still staring at his with that bemused expression, moth slightly open and half pulled up. He either didn't know or didn't care that he was staring but after a minute of side glances, Havoc finally turned to fully face him. "Alright kid, what's the deal? Why do you keep looking over at me?"

The boy snapped his mouth shut and blinked, looking embarrassed and shocked at once. It was quiet between them for a few tense seconds before the youths face tilted downwards and though his eyes were sad, there was the ghost of a smile on his lips. Havoc noticed how his small hands gently gripped the white blanket on across his lap.

"Of course. You wouldn't recognise me like this, Second Lieutenant Havoc."

That was not what he was expecting. He raised an eyebrow and ran through the boys features. He was small, frail and obviously ill. His blond hair was long but pulled back with a large chuck falling over his eyes, which were closed as he kept his head low. Jean honestly couldn't remember seeing him in his life but he couldn't deny the nagging feeling that he'd heard that voice somewhere before, even if it was small and wispy.

It was only as the boy looked back at him did he realise that the honey sheen in his eyes weren't caused by the dipping sun. "…_Alphonse Elric?_"

The other patient laughed and grinned widely. "Hello Havoc, sir."

"Oh my god," he spluttered. "Is it really…? But you're… Oh my god!"

Al watched as Havoc continued to burst out in laughter, his head thrown back and scooted his char over to the bed, promptly (but not roughly) shaking Al's hand. "I heard you got your body back- I heard _all_ about what happened that day- but never thought I'd see you with my own eyes. It's good to see you."

"Same here," Al admitted. He guessed it a strange sort of way, it was the first time seeing Jean Havoc with his own eyes too and shaking hands with the soldier. Gosh, he loved this feeling. "Are you undergoing physio too?"

"Yeah, but I'm with Dr. Wandeln. And you have?"

"Dr. Muskel. She's very nice."

"She? Huh, some guys get all the luck," he replied as he stretched. He waited a second, not really knowing what to say or where to begin. What do you say to a kid who, the last you saw of him, was purely a seven foot armour with spikes? And Alphonse was like fifteen or something, and one of the most polite people Havoc knew. "So, uh. How's life treating you now?"

At this Al grinned again. "It's great! I'm remembering all these things from before, like how different materials feel and that groggy feeling of waking up. Oh, and there's loads of flavours!"

"You like feeling groggy?" laughed Jean. He was infamous of having to be dragged out of bed in the academy. "And I can't imagine there being many nice flavours in hospital food."

"Oh, there's not. But that doesn't matter, at least it tastes of something. I've only started to eat over the past week."

Jean looked confused. "Week? But you've had your body back well over a month."

"Yeah," the boy sighed, "but I was put on drips because my stomach couldn't handle anything and I had to wait nearly a week before I tried water. Even then, I threw it back up." He noticed the look on the older man's face and shrugged. "It's alright now. It's nice to be able to chew now instead of just having soups and juice." When Jean relaxed, Al was pleased that he didn't mention the pain in his jaw or how his teeth needed constant care. Or for that matter how his stomach spasmed uncontrollably when it finally accepted such foreign solids.

"Hm, so how's Ed? The Fullmetal Alchemist is neither metal nor an alchemist as far as I've heard," said Havoc.

Alphonse's eyes drifted away for a second, pondering his answer. Where to even begin?

"Well, he still has an auto mail leg, so he still has some metal. And he's… being Ed. He wants to know everything at once and he needs to help. Sometimes I think he would do anything to trade places with me, to take away this suffering as he sees it." Al sat up straighter (as much as he could considering that his back was killing him) and added, "But I'm not suffering. I'm happy now. I don't care if the doctors say my muscles ore the most atrophied they've ever seen, the way I see it, I can only get stronger. I may be tired easily and confined to a hospital bed, I may have to play with elastic bands to improve my hands and having somebody survey me all the time… but it's the best thing that's ever happened to me, besides having him as my brother."

The boy who was fast growing into a man gazed out of the window, the afternoon sun warming the room and the seconds slowed. "He's barely left me since the Promised Day. We eat, sleep and stay together. I can actually sleep now and I sleep well knowing he's watching over me like I would watch him."

"You two make a great team."

"I owe him everything."

Right as Jean was about to respond, Breda rounded the corner. "Hey Havoc, you're not gonna believe this, but I think I just saw Fullmetal out there. And he didn't look happy."

"That's likely because his brother Al's here," he replied, jabbing a thumb towards the other patient.

"What? Alphonse Elric is here?" He rounded the two of them and looked closer. "Wow kid, didn't recognise you with all that weight you've put on. Doing well on the treatment I see."

Al scratched the back of his head. "Thanks, I try." He shifted slightly. "Did you say Ed's out there? It's nearly time for my appointment."

"What sort of stuff have they got you doing? He's been on the bars to get his legs working properly again. Screamed like a baby I can tell you."

"Breda!"

Breda laughed and clapped his comrade on the back. "hey, it's nothing compared to when Marcoh used the stone to literally reconnect your nerves. Even from out in the hall that sounded painful."

His friend however was less than amused. "Next time you try being skewered next time then having some old guy play knitting needles with you nervous system." The other two laughed quietly for a moment. Havoc tried to keep his stoic expression but yielded and joined in with their chuckles. He still had to glance sideways just to be sure he wasn't making this up. The rest of Team Mustang saw him on the promised day but Jean was all the way to the East when that was happening.

The sound of the double doors opening brought their attention to the doctor with a messy brown bun atop her head and oval glasses. She was young but one could tell that she was devoted and talented. She clicked her heels towards her patient to great him warmly and even those who were not her patients. Seeing his records were corrects, she informed him that she will be back shortly just after she finished changing.

Once she left, Breda turned to Al and raised an eyebrow. "Changing?"

"Oh yeah, today we're trying something new. I'm being taken to the fitness pool to see if hydrotherapy works instead of just sitting in my bed and twiddling my ankles."

"Sounds like fun. Wish I could do that."

"Why not ask your doctor about it?"

Havoc shuddered. Dr. Wandeln wasn't exactly the nicest old doctor when he was fully clothed. "I'll pass."

From behind the door they could hear a bit of commotion. Alphonse grimaced, knowing exactly what that meant. "Listen, Dr. Muskel said so herself and my brother agreed, so I'm gonna join him, you got that?"

"Tch, whatever kid. Just don't get in our way when we're transferring him to the pool."

"Yeah, we don't wanna drop him because we tripped over a puny little runt like you."

"_Who are you calling a puny little runt?! Do you have any idea of who I am and what I've done? And I've grown dammit, I'm gonna need a new leg soon!"_

Both doors swung open and two large men in nurses uniforms stepped in, waving their hands. "Yeah, yeah kid. State Alchemist, saviour of thousands, you keep saying. And we keep saying to you, we've got this."

They were followed swiftly by Ed and Dr. Muskel. Muskel wore sandals and a summer dress under her lab coat, obviously covering her modest swim suit. The disgruntled alchemist beside her too wore sandals, but a t-shirt and swim shorts instead his usual long trousers. This is just one reason why he was peeved.

Muskel bobbed over and with the help of the two muscled nurses, began pulling at the bed. "Let's get you into a nice warm pool cleared for us, shall we Al?"

"Oh, okay. Bye Mr. Havoc, Mr. Breda. Hope to see you both soon. Good luck with your physio!"

"And to you, Alphonse!" cried Jean. He lowered his hand and added under his breath, "Especially you. You can only get stronger."

* * *

_Those words helped me alot over the years._

_If anyone's interested, I have Fibromyalgia and I'm prone to dislocation. I've also has some muscle atrophy before and _it's not fun_._

_And notice the names? Clue, they're German for..._


End file.
